the obama administration is now urging for newman's release citing his advanced age and health conditions. >> i can understand that in u.s. and western countries, there is misleading information and propaganda about pprk. >> reporter: north korean state media released this video over the weekend of detained american tourist 85-year-old merrill newman reading a handwritten apology. pyongyang said newman admits he is guilty of big crimes when he fought for the u.s. in the korean war killing civilians, working with anticommunist guerrillas and planning now 60 years later to try to meet up with them. the video shows newman signing the four-page statement he read on camera dated november 9 and sealing it with his thumbprint in red ink. what was to him next isn't clear. after being held since late october, taken off a plane just as his tour group was leaving, the white house is now weighing in. a spokesman saying, the u.s. is deeply concerned, calling on north korea to release newman and fellow american kenneth bae, now held for more than a year. but one expert says that could complicate and al